Corner-shield for trunks



No. 607,!32. Patented .l'uly I2, |898. W. H. RICH.

CORNER SHIELD Fon TnuNKs.

(Application led Mar. 1, 1898.)

v(No Modei.)

l- -4 VVTNEEEEE u yV-INTER" JV. @Y gais/fhg' ilNi-rnn Sfrnrrns Parana*@rrrcn VALTER H. RICH, OF MELROSE, MASSACHUSETTS.

CORNER-SHIELD FOR TRUNKS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 607,132, dated J' uly12, 1898.

Application filed March 1,1898.

T0 all whom t may concern.-

Beit known that I, WALTER H. RICH, a citizen of the United States,residing in Melrose, in the county of Middlesex and State ofMassachusetts,have invented certain new and useful ImprovementsinCorner- Shields for Trunks, of which the following is a specification.

This is an improved corner shield or guard-sometimes termed 4in thetrade a corner-clamp -for application to travelers trunks; and it hasfor its principal objects to provide a corner-shield which will ease theblow upon the corner of the trunk, to enable the metallic portion of theguard which comes in direct contact with. the tloor or obj ect uponwhich the trunk falls to yield slightly upon the rubber portion which isinterposed between said metallic portion and the corner of the trunk, toprovide a guard which consists of but two pieces-n amely, the metallicguard or shield proper and the interposed or inner rubber portioncorresponding in shape with said Ymetallic portion-to strengthen andstiften the metallic portion, and to thicken the rubber portion at themost desirable points. l

The nature of the invention is fully described in detail below andillustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l representsa view in perspective of a corner of the upper portion or lid of a trunkprovided with my improved cornershield. Fig. 2 is a plan View ofthe'same. Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on line X, Fig. 2. Fig. 4 isa sectional View taken on line Y, Fig. 2.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

A represents 'the top, and A' the upright portions,of a part of the lidor cover of an ordinary trunk.

B represents one of the cleats.

My corner-shield comprises an integral inetallic plate formed with thehorizontal poi'- tion C, which is adapted to extend diagonally inwardover the top, and the vertical portions C and C, which are adapted toextend diagonally over the upright portions A of the trunk. Necessarilythe portion C is at right angles to the portions C and C, and theportions C and C are at right angles to each "surfaces of the trunk.

Serial No. 672,153. (No model.)

with the eXtensions'D, D', and D", each of.

which is formed with one or more slots E, each longer than it is wideandset in the diagonal line of direction of the extension in which it islocated. The parts C, C', and C are formed up centrally on the diagonallines referred to into outwardly-projecting strengthening-ribs F, andthe inner side of the shield is correspondingly recessed, as indicatedat F in Figs. 3 and 4. Vhere these radiating ribs meet, the shield isformed into a substantially convex protuberance H,which is locatedexactly next to the corner of the trunk when the shield is in position.The bent portions I are preferably extended at I, as shown.

The inner surface of this shield is provided with a rubber sheet orlayer K, corresponding in shape and size to the metallic portion abovedescribed and coming into direct contact With the trunk. This'interposed layer of rubberK completely ills the recesses F and theportion neXt to the protuberance H, so that the rubber is the thickestwhere its elasticity is most needed.

The shield is applied to the trunk by means of screws a, which extendthrough the slots E next to the outer ends thereof and through theinterposed layer of rubber K. trunk falls upon a corner, the protrudingportion ll receives the blow and the rubber K, contracting, allows themetallic portion or plate to yield slightly,with the effec-t of drivingits portions D,D, and D along over the This movement is pern mitted bythe elongated slots E, which move along under the head of the screwscl.. By this means the plate can yield safely without being broken orbreaking the screws. Inasmuch as the rubber layer K corresponds in shapewith the metallic portion of the shield wherever the shield may bestruck by a blow the layer of rubber protects it and the trunk. inasmuchas the corner needs the greatest protection the rubber is thickest atthat point; but the blow is received or given (as the case may be) bythe convex metallic portion ll, which by its shape, as Well as by meansof the rubber beneath it, prevents injury being done to another trunk.

Then the IOO A The shield may of course be applied to the corners at thebottom as Well as at the top of the trunk.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

The herein described improved cornershield for trunks, comprising anintegral Inetallic plate formed into the portions C D, C D', C D",adapted to extend diagonally over the top or bottoni, end, and side of atrunk next to the corner, said portions C D, C D', C. D" bein g providedWith elongated slots E set and extending` in the diagonal line of di-WALTER II. RICH.

Vitnesses:

HENRY W. WILLIAMS, A. N. BONNEY.

